1. Field of the Invention
A universal vacuum cleaner extension kit extends the reach of standard cleaners.
2. Description of Related Art
Most vacuum cleaners come with some sort of extension and replacement parts. These prove to be satisfactory for the standard rooms, but do not meet the needs for high locations such as high ceilings, vaulted ceilings, high windows, and high foyers.
In the vacuum cleaner art, extensions are well known for reaching heights and for extending the horizontal reach from the collection cannister or bag. There is no universally accepted standard for tubing or connectors. However, most tubing and connectors used with vacuum cleaners vary from 1xc2xc inches to 1xc2xd inches in diameter. B. Baxter (U.S. Pat. No. 2,122,633, issued Jul. 5, 1938) is an example of tubular extension sections having locking couplings between the sections. N. Okun (U.S. Pat. No. 2,801,437, issued Aug. 6, 1957) teaches a tapered male and female coupling; N. Schneider (U.S. Pat. No. 5,410,776, issued May 2, 1995) teaches small tapers for frictionally securing parts of vacuum attachments to extension tubes; and, R. McDowell (U.S. Pat. No. 4,053,962, issued Oct. 18, 1977) teaches several stepped and tapered inner surfaces for forcefully attaching a tubular vacuum cleaner section to various size nozzles, such as 1xc2xc and 1xc2xd inch external diameter nozzles.
Elastic elements have been used with vacuum and air conducting conduits for various purposes. As examples, E. Martinet (U.S. Pat. No. 2,273,211, issued Feb. 17, 1942) seals air leakage by covering a joint coupling with a one-piece rubber sleeve. W. Sheppard (U.S. Pat. No. 2,460,851, issued Feb. 8, 1949) joins a connector to a bag using a molded rubber sleeve that is slightly less than the outside diameter of a tubular connector to frictionally grip it. M. Groves et al (U.S. Pat. No. 3,306,634, issued Feb. 28, 1967) uses an elastic molded sleeve to make a joint air tight with cylindrical tubular front and rear ends and a corrugated central section. W. Aberilla (U.S. Pat. No. 3,922,753, issued Dec 2, 1975) uses stretchable elongated tubes over the ends of rigid tubes for rapid joining and sealing with different diameter rigid tubes joined by using a short length collar between the smaller diameter connector and the stretchable elongated tube.
The present invention is to components that attach to most cannister and upright vacuums. To meet the special needs for extending the reach of vacuum cleaners, this invention provides extensions with a decreased uninterrupted internal diameter to increase velocity within the extensions for improved removal of dust, cobwebs and insects, an adapter joins hose extensions to different size connectors.
There are four to six extensions provided in the kit. Each extension has a male and a female plastic end connector with tapered surfaces that allow for easy slip-fit attachment to each other. The average height person with four three-foot extensions or six two-foot extensions can reach about seventeen feet in height. This allows a person to stand on one floor and vacuum the ceiling and comers of an above floor or a 2nd level.
There is an adapter provided for connecting the extensions to existing vacuum hoses, attachments, and pipes. It is primarily used to attach an extension to vacuum units having a smaller diameter conduit.
A flexible hose extension is provided for additional flexibility and additional operator freedom when using an existing hose. The flexhose is especially useful for upright vacuum cleaners in view of the short flexible hoses used on them as compared to the cannister type. While an extension can be attached to the upright flexible hose, a very limited freedom of movement usually results. Connecting the flexible hose of the invention to the flexible hose of a vacuum cleaner adds footage and use well beyond the vacuum cleaner. A tapered or stepped female fitting can be provided on the flexhose. With it a standard or smaller diameter vacuum can be connected. The opposite end of the flexhose can be connected to the extension.
For additional flexibility an elastic adapter can be used for coupling odd-sized connectors. By deforming or stretching the adapter to fit within or over connectors, odd size connectors can be joined together.